Smith questions 'need answering'

The Liberal Democrats need to answer "serious questions" about who knew that former MP Sir Cyril Smith faced allegations of sex abuse, the party's president has said.

Tim Farron insisted the police investigation was the best way of dealing with the claims against the politician, who died in 2010 aged 82.

It has been alleged Sir Cyril raped boys at Rochdale's Knowl View residential school, which closed in 1992, and abused boys at the privately-run Cambridge House children's care home, which closed in 1965.

Sir Cyril was originally a Labour councillor in Rochdale and later a Liberal then Liberal Democrat MP for the town from 1972 to 1992.

The BBC quoted Mr Farron as saying: "The party absolutely, as the Labour Party must also... and indeed Rochdale civic society as a whole, need to answer serious questions as to who knew what and when."

Lord Steel, who led the Liberal Party between 1976 and 1988, has said he will co-operate with any police inquiry.

"I agree that there should be a fresh inquiry and am happy to be interviewed, having known nothing beyond the 1979 published report of police investigations when Cyril Smith was a Labour councillor in the Sixties," he told the Daily Telegraph.

"No complaint, nor even rumour, of his alleged misbehaviour as an MP ever reached us, and indeed stories only came to light after his death."

Comments

LibDems, clueless, thick, useless, lying bunch of Paedophiles, sadly their not alone, LABCON have the same type of problem....

LibDems, clueless, thick, useless, lying bunch of Paedophiles, sadly their not alone, LABCON have the same type of problem....welshmen

LibDems, clueless, thick, useless, lying bunch of Paedophiles, sadly their not alone, LABCON have the same type of problem....

Score: 1

cosmick
3:12pm Sat 26 Apr 14

Not all of them are untrustable, but they do seem to cover for anyone who is a pervert.

Not all of them are untrustable, but they do seem to cover for anyone who is a pervert.cosmick

Not all of them are untrustable, but they do seem to cover for anyone who is a pervert.

Score: 0

60plus
8:10pm Sat 26 Apr 14

Seem to be jumping on the Saville band wagon,more after composation.

Seem to be jumping on the Saville band wagon,more after composation.60plus

Seem to be jumping on the Saville band wagon,more after composation.

Score: -2

noddy57
11:10pm Sat 26 Apr 14

Cyril Smith was very good M P for Rochdale but these allegations need to be addressed and if these stories are found to be true then the liberal party have a lot to answer for and there must be no white wash because these abusers are scum of the lowest form and should be exposed for what they really are,,

Cyril Smith was very good M P for Rochdale but these allegations need to be addressed and if these stories are found to be true then the liberal party have a lot to answer for and there must be no white wash because these abusers are scum of the lowest form and should be exposed for what they really are,,noddy57

Cyril Smith was very good M P for Rochdale but these allegations need to be addressed and if these stories are found to be true then the liberal party have a lot to answer for and there must be no white wash because these abusers are scum of the lowest form and should be exposed for what they really are,,

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